John Carlson says he found out his 17 seasons with the Washington Capitals had ended not from the team or his agent, but from his farmer cousin back in Massachusetts, who woke him up late Thursday after seeing the news online. Once he confirmed the trade with people who hadn't spent all day plowing, Carlson still couldn't quite believe it — yet he quickly recognized the excitement in a new opportunity and a potential playoff run with the Anaheim Ducks. “In the middle of the night is not the best way to find out some very altering news like that,” Carlson said with a smile Friday before he flew across the country to join what's basically his first new team since 2009.
